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Trials And Tribulations From Soldering My Gemstone Necklace With Step Bezel Setting

Just to share …..

One of my recent pieces started out so well…… I was smiling through the entire process of shaping and soldering the three step bezels for this three piece necklace.

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Then came the last two solders for the little bails on the top of the two hanging pieces. That is when disaster set in ! After three or four attempts the metal became so oxidized that they became unusable.

Both of the bails kept falling off, and had to re-heat and try again.

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On the last attempt on one piece, it was such a disaster, that I melted part of the bezel !

Your first question to me is probably asking if I used one of the 3rd arms with clamps. That was in fact the root of the disaster. I was trying to hold them in place with a pair of pliers in one hand and the torch in the other. I had overheated the clips on a previous project so they lost the springy ability to clamp.

I was impatient and, well….. the results show it !

I do not have enough of the same matching step bezel to give it another whirl yet. Next Rio order !

Just felt like sharing my recent disaster. Hopefully I can return with a positive update once I get some more bezel tape !

Thanks for reading. Maybe you have a similar soldering disaster to share ?

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This entry was posted on Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 at 5:58 pm and is filed under Gemstone Cabochon Jewelry Design. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

4 Responses to “Trials And Tribulations From Soldering My Gemstone Necklace With Step Bezel Setting”

  1. Richard Says:
    February 5th, 2009 at 8:49 pm

    I am a silversmith and have recently begun using solderpaste. Place small ‘dot’ of paste (easy) on each end of the bail line up to bezel and push together (use two 3rd hands or whatever works for you). Heat the bezel moving up to the bail the paste flows and your done. Note solderpaste is porous but is good for fine work.

    PS Even though as a silversmith I like to hit things with hammers GENTLE is a good thing with soldering

  2. TaoGem Says:
    February 6th, 2009 at 1:06 am

    Hi Richard,

    I have some silver solder paste. Just started using it. Had some great luck with it on my first bezel setting that I tried the paste on.

    I like the way it flowed so nicely in between the bezel tape and backing. I expect to be using it more often.

    Do you have an online site of some kind where people can see how your coming along?

    George / TaoGem

  3. Nancy Woods Says:
    February 9th, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    hello all,
    I sure love the way you matched the stones for the earrings so perfectly. Is it a jasper that you have used?

    Thanks for the tips on the soldering as well—-that is great. I like the idea of the silver solder paste, will have to try it soon.

    looking good always…..south sea pearls

  4. TaoGem Says:
    February 9th, 2009 at 5:05 pm

    HI Nancy,

    The two matching pieces you see will not be earrings. They will be a part of the pendant. See the little loops? Those two pieces will be hanging freely beneath the bigger stone.

    Also yes… It is a Rainforest Jasper. Beautiful mineral..

    I just started using the silver soldering paste. Here is the very first piece that I tried with the soldering paste. I really liked the way it flowed so nicely in between the bezel tape and backing.

    I think will continue to use it for similar applications.

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